Aaron Rodgers returning to Steelers for 22nd NFL season, per reports - BERITAJA

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is returning to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 22nd play successful the NFL, according to aggregate reports.

Rodgers, 42, suggested past summertime that the 2025 play could beryllium his last. He past led the Steelers to the AFC North section title and a playoff berth successful his first twelvemonth pinch the team, wherever they lost, 30-6, connected Jan. 12.

ESPN and the NFL Network some reported Saturday that Rodgers would re-sign pinch the Steelers to play for a acquainted face: Mike McCarthy, who is entering his first play coaching Pittsburgh but coached Rodgers for 13 seasons successful Green Bay until 2018.

By extending his career, Rodgers will proceed to adhd to profession totals that rank him among the about prolific quarterbacks successful NFL history. A starter the past 18 years pinch Green Bay, the Jets and Pittsburgh, Rodgers has earned 10 Pro Bowl honors and his 4 NFL Most Valuable Player honors rank down only Peyton Manning, all-time.

Rodgers pinch the New York Jets successful 2024.Elsa / Getty Images

He ranks tied for first all-time successful passer rating, 4th successful passing touchdowns and 5th successful passing yards.

His statement pinch Pittsburgh ran conscionable 1 season, successful anticipation that he mightiness discontinue aft the 2025 season, making him a free supplier for the 2nd consecutive offseason. Last twelvemonth arsenic Rodgers mulled whether to discontinue aliases proceed playing, he was drawn to Pittsburgh successful portion because of his spot successful Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. When Tomlin stepped distant arsenic coach successful January, the squad hired McCarthy, who first began coaching Rodgers successful 2006. That familiarity made it look imaginable the coach and backmost mightiness reunite again when, successful March, Rodgers told ESPN that McCarthy was "one of the awesome guys successful the league" and that, "deep down, there’s truthful overmuch emotion and appreciation for the clip we spent together."

Still, astatine the aforesaid time, Rodgers maintained that he had not made a determination whether to proceed playing.

One of his top strengths was really seldom he turned the shot over, comparative to different high-usage quarterbacks of his era. Despite attempting 8,743 passes, sixth-most successful convention history, he threw interceptions connected only 1.4% of them, a percentage that ties for the champion all-time.

In 2020, Rodgers led the NFL pinch a career-high 48 touchdown passes and 70.7 completion percentage. That twelvemonth he besides courted controversy, and not for the first time. Asked whether he was vaccinated against Covid-19 during the 2020 season, Rodgers told reporters he had been “immunized”; erstwhile he later tested affirmative and was sidelined by the NFL, he was wide criticized. He later told a biographer, Ian O’Connor, that “if there’s 1 point I wish could person gone different, it’s that, because that’s the only point (that critics) could deed maine with.”

Rodgers has besides drawn attraction and disapproval for eccentricities including his usage of psychedelics specified arsenic ayahuasca, and a 2023 sensory-deprivation retreat successful near-total acheronian successful Oregon.

His 2023 exit from successful Green Bay, which had drafted his successor astatine quarterback, led Rodgers to beryllium traded to the Jets but he suffered a torn Achilles’ tendon successful his debut thrust pinch the team. After going 5-12 pinch the Jets successful 2024, the team’s caller activity informed Rodgers he wouldn’t return, and he signed pinch Pittsburgh aft deciding for months whether to discontinue aliases play a 21st season.

Rodgers signed pinch Pittsburgh arsenic the league’s oldest progressive subordinate — a favoritism that was concisely usurped by the late-season return of 44-year-old Philip Rivers — and threw for 3,322 yards and 24 touchdowns, his fewest since injury-shortened years successful 2020 and 2017. Still, his touchdown pinch a infinitesimal remaining successful the regular-season finale helped Pittsburgh triumph its first section title since 2020, and Rodgers unafraid his his first postseason quality since 2021.

Rodgers signed pinch Pittsburgh and threw for 3,322 yards and 24 touchdowns, his fewest since injury-shortened years successful 2020 and 2017. Still, his touchdown pinch a infinitesimal remaining successful the regular-season finale against Baltimore helped Pittsburgh triumph its first section title since 2020, and Rodgers to unafraid his first postseason quality since 2021.

In October, Rodgers said he harbored nary sick will toward Green Bay.

“I’ll discontinue a Packer and spot what happens aft that," Rodgers said. "I’ve sewage a batch of emotion for the organization, my clip there."